Each and every one of us from time to time experiences somebody or something whose effects seem to threaten our well-being. Whether the threat is real or simply perceived, the outcome of the ensuing interaction/events may well depend on the words and actions that come from the one on the receiving end of the initial precipitation. When this happens to me, I get to either “react” or “respond” to what I am encountering. What’s the difference you ask?
We talked about this last Sunday at the service. Reaction comes from a fear-based, egocentric place in our psyche. It is often instantaneous and what we may call knee-jerk, based on a subjective limited view of who we are. Conversely, a response comes from a thoughtful and confident place within us that is driven by the belief that the answer to “situations” lies in understanding. It is guided by a soul-based knowing that we need to look beyond appearances to the heart of a situation. Easy to see what’s more effective in the abstract, but how do we get to the place where we are grounded enough to bring a response instead of a reaction to a challenging moment when it is happening.
Gary Zukov in his book Universal Human talks about Authentic Power. He says ”Creating authentic power requires changing yourself (your own perspective). It is an inward journey. Pursuing external power requires changing the world. It is an outward journey” The former is soul (unity) driven, while the latter is ego (duality) driven. This dichotomy describes the bases respectively of responding vs. reacting to a life situation. The more we remember to spend time in the silence and recognize our own Christ nature, the more likely we are to be responsive instead of reactive as we walk through our earthly lives.
Jeff Benoit
